Four Foolproof Ways to Woo a Gryffindor
by asentia
Summary: The Second Wizarding War has ended and Hermione and Draco are back at Hogwarts for their seventh-year. Prejudices are (mostly) gone and the two students discover that there's always more to someone than meets the eye.
1. Chapter 1

Method #1: Extra-Friendly Reception to Friendly Gestures

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It was winter; season of red noses, numb fingers, and hot cocoa mixed with a dash of vanilla.

Draco Malfoy had all three, the last one courtesy of a bushy-haired girl wearing a Gryffindor scarf. The boy looked up in surprised then his gaze shifted to the mug levitating in thin air and became wary.

"What's this?" he asked.

"You've never seen hot cocoa before?" Hermione Granger exclaimed. The mug teetered a bit but quickly steadied itself.

"No. What is it?"

"Chocolate and hot water, or hot milk. I used five squares of Honeydukes dark chocolate, water boiled at 50 degrees Celsius, added a splash of vanilla, and a dash of nutmeg. I stirred five times clockwise as that is the best method of stirring for basic concoctions-" Hermione was interrupted by Draco coughing and spitting his drink on the snow.

"Eurgh- ehh- hot!" Draco stammered as he shoved powdery white snow into his mouth and sighed in relief. Hermione noticed with amusement that his eyes were watery.

"Normally you don't gulp it all down at once when it's still hot," Hermione said, stifling a laugh.

The next time Draco blew on the mug before taking a small sip. His eyes lit up and he grinned.

"This is delicious!" he said ecstatically, taking another sip. "Way better than Rosmerta's Winter Special Butterbeer! Thanks, Hermione!" Draco took a pause in his enthusiastic drinking to smile at the blushing girl.

"Um, no problem," Hermione stammered, allowing herself a small smile despite the butterflies in her stomach that seemed to be waging a civil war. "Why are you outside anyway and without a Warming Charm?"

"Well, I never noticed how cold it was until my throat was burned thank you very much," Draco said mock-seriously. "Why are _you_ outside?"

"It's so depressing inside," Hermione said, sitting down neatly on the stone bench beside Draco.

"Tell me about it," Draco muttered. "Half those kids think I'll murder them in their beds."

"Is it hard? Knowing that everyone's... afraid of you?" Hermione asked cautiously. Draco looked at her for a long moment before answering.

"It's nothing I'm not used to," Draco said, equally as cautious. He sighed. "It would be nice though to just be another invisible first-year instead of a war veteran. One who fought on the wrong side- and don't even think of starting on how I was only a sixth-year. I was nearly of age when I joined the Death Eaters."

Hermione didn't responded- her eyes roved around the decimated courtyard. The smoking rubble had been cleared long before the start of the school year but scorch marks had remained as had scars in the halved columns of stone. Professor Sprout had attempted to restore the greenery but all life had withered in hours so she settled with plaques commemorating the fallen over the gaping holes where age-old trees had been torn from their roots.

"I guess I'll see you around then, Hermione," Draco said. "Thanks for the hot cocoa. I'll remember to return the favour." The young man smiled impishly at her before disappearing back inside the castle and asking Blaise when the next Hogsmeade visit would be.

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I hope you like it so far! Any feedback is much appreciated :)


	2. Chapter 2

Method #2: Friends-Aid

(^get it? Like band-aid but with friends instead ha... ha... ha... *silence*)

* * *

"I think this Butterbeer is missing something," Draco mused. Blaise Zabini who sat across him raised an eyebrow.

"Mine tastes the same," Blaise said coolly, daring Draco to challenge him. He did not.

"Maybe you're just too used to Granger's hot cocoa," Pansy Parkinson said with a wavering voice in an attempt to hide her sneer. Sneering at war veterans from the _good_ side was frowned upon.

"You never should have gotten yourself addicted to that muggle stuff," Blaise chided. "Nor should you have gotten yourself addicted to that mud- muggle-born company." Draco frowned at the near-use of 'Mudblood' but he decided to ignore it; old ways die hard.

"She's very pretty." Draco looked up from his Butterbeer to see Tracey Davis gazing enviously at Hermione who was sitting at a faraway table with Ginny and Dean Thomas.

The three Gryffindors were talking animatedly and suddenly, they laughed. Not loudly and rowdily like some people did to make themselves feel important but just a quiet chuckle. Draco wish he were the one making Hermione smile and not that stupid Thomas kid.

Draco watched in distaste as Dean pulled out a muggle device with lots of lights and Ginny gawked in amazement. Hermione laughed and she looked so carefree and happy unlike the subdued know-it-all version of Hermione in school those days.

"Draco, please go talk to her," Blaise said suddenly. "Your googly eyes are killing me and her not-so-subtle staring is annoying."

"What staring?" Draco asked. Blaise rolled his eyes before standing up and dragging Draco out of his chair toward, much to his horror, Hermione's table.

"Hi Ginny, Blaise said, smiling broadly. She blushed as red as her hair. He nodded at Dean. "Thomas. My friend Draco here is infatuated with Hermione."

"And she's equally obsessed," Ginny muttered not-so-quietly. Hermione shrieked and tried to stand up but her red-head Seeker friend grabbed her arm and held her in place.

"I think we've all reached an agreement," Blaise said, grinning at a fuming Draco cheekily. "These two are not allowed to leave the Three Broomsticks until they've had a long, satisfying snog."

"WHAT?" Draco and Hermione exclaimed simultaneously. Dean chuckled and Ginny smiled impishly.

"Bu- bu- bu-" Hermione stuttered.

"They can't do it here in the middle of a crowded place," Dean said calmly.

"Thank you, Dean!" Hermione said. She could always count on him to be the voice of reason. He looked at her and smirked and Hermione felt her hopes of aided escape crash around her.

"The back of the building is very private, remember Ginny?" Ginny rolled her eyes but nodded.

"C'mon, 'Mione," Ginny said, dragging her friend out the door. Blaise followed suit with Draco in tow.

The back of the Three Broomsticks was, in fact, very private. The low, slanted roof and a neighbouring building created a small alley lit with a large, glowing lantern. The golden light illuminated the dew on the new spring flowers and the fresh grass.

"We'll be waiting around the corner. Don't even think about trying to escape," Ginny said sternly, much like her mother. The three devils then disappeared.

Draco looked at Hermione who was blushing and had her face buried in her hands.

"I have the worst friends ever," she muttered. Draco chuckled and pried her hands away from her perfect visage. He didn't let go. Hermione blushed.

"Um, I've been thinking to ask you out for quite a while," Draco said softly. Hermione glanced at his eyes- a dark, honest and unnervingly vulnerable grey- then looked down at her feet.

"Oh, ok," Hermione said. He wasn't really asking her out, was he?

Draco pursed his lips and looked at Hermione questioningly. All she said was 'ok?' Maybe she was shy or maybe she loathed him still or maybe she was still seeing that Weasel or Krum. He might as well clarify himself.

"Would you like to go out with me, then?" Draco asked. Hermione widened her eyes and looked at the Slytherin.

"What? Oh, um, I don't know," Hermione sputtered. The Slytherin frowned and he looked so heartbroken. Hermione elaborated on herself. "Not to say that I don't like you- I really do, really- but it's so- I don't know-"

"That's a yes," Ginny said, appearing out of nowhere. She grinned at Draco. "You two are officially a couple! Take good care of her or I'll chop all your limbs off and feed them to the Giant Squid."

"What are you waiting for?" Blaise snapped, appearing at Ginny's side. "Kiss her already!"

"Go away," Draco muttered. Blaise laughed and man-patted Draco's shoulder before tugging Ginny away from Hermione and Disapparating.

"I- I- I'm so sorry," Hermione spluttered. "Ginny's so embarassing."

"It's okay," Draco said. Hermione noticed that he kept on glancing at her mouth. She hoped there wasn't any Butterbeer on her chin or oreo crumbs on her lips. It was so nice of Dean's parents to Owl good old oreos to school. She was about to raise her hand to make sure nothing was there-

Then Draco Malfoy's face suddenly became much closer and Hermione felt something soft press against her lips. He was kissing her! He was actually kissing her! Butterflies fluttered inside her stomach and she wrapped her arms around his neck. Draco's hands clasped behind her back as he tugged her closer and everything was so perfect and not rushed like when Krum-

They broke apart and all thoughts left Hermione's brain as she looked at Draco. His eyes were glittering and he was smiling and he was so handsome and he looked the happiest Hermione had ever seen him. Hermione felt her heart was about to burst.

Draco gazed at the Gryffindor girl who had made him ache with love and hate for a solid eight years. Her curls framed her beautiful face and he didn't want to lose contact with those chocolate brown eyes that reminded him of the Honeydukes chocolate his mum always sent him for Christmas. The soft glow of the lanterns made her look as if she were surrounded in a heavenly aura and her hands fit so perfectly in his.

As if they were telepathic- maybe they were considering their intense, locked gaze- they dove in for a second kiss simultaneously and they stayed in each others' arms for a long, long time.

* * *

That was the first kiss I've ever written :* Any feedback is, as always, much appreciated!

-Olive


	3. Chapter 3

This chapter is angst'y because always-happy fluff is boring :)

* * *

"Just ignore them," Astoria said calmly, pecking Draco on the cheek, but he still didn't unclench his fists or relax his jaw.

Hundreds of posters covered every inch of the Great Hall's four walls. There was a photo of Draco and above it were the words, 'WANTED: DEATH EATER DRACO MALFOY.'

"Whoever did this has a really sick sense of humour," Blaise snapped, eyes flaring in a rare display of anger. He aimed his wand at a poster and muttered, "_Depulso_." It disappeared with a noisy sticking sound.

"I've counted three hundred on this wall and they're perfectly spaced out so that means the other wall must have three hundred as well and the two smaller walls must have 150," Tracey mused before pointing at the nearest wall and yelling, "_Depulso Pondus!_" All the posters disappeared but Tracey's face had become pale and her wand hand was shaking. It seemed that Banishing three hundred widespread objects was draining for a barely of-age witch.

"Great, the jolly wagon has arrived," Theo sneered as the Great Hall began to fill with first- and second-year Gryffindors who gawked at the posters then at Draco then at the posters again. "How do you do that mass Banishing spell, Davies?" Tracey demonstrated silently and shortly after, Theo aimed at the long, opposite wall. "_Depulso Pondus!_" The Gryffindors shrieked and ran underneath the tables as the posters disappeared with a noisy sucking sound.

"Where're the professors?" one of the little kids yelled. Draco wondered the same thing.

"_Depulso Pondus!_" yelled a familiar voice from the Great Hall entrance. Draco turned to see Hermione standing with Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick. The two teachers were shocked and Hermione was fuming. She aimed for the final wall but McGonagall hastily put up a hand to stop her.

"It would be wiser to Summon one of the posters for examination before Banishing them all, Miss Granger," McGonagall said sternly. Hermione nodded and then one of the posters was flying into her hand. "Filius, could you also check the posters for potential curses or charms?" Flitwick nodded and waved his wand, causing all the remaining posters to fly off the wall and float in a neat pile beside him.

"I am deeply sorry, Mr. Malfoy," McGonagall said as she strode over to him, Hermione following her. Draco just nodded and avoided the latter's intense gaze. "We will catch the perpetrator in no time."

"Thank you, Professor," Draco said humbly. McGonagall nodded before drifting away to the staff table. Hermione stayed where she was.

"Draco-"

"Don't, Granger," Draco said coldly, trying not to look into her eyes. Those comforting eyes that were so much like Honeydukes chocolate. He used to look into those eyes lovingly and they used to look lovingly back.

Hermione sighed. "I don't understand you, Malfoy," she said acidly. Draco knew her anger was just a front to mask her hurt but that didn't make him feel better in the slightest.

"It's for the best," Draco said, his voice cracking. He glanced at his friends who looked at him expectantly. They expected him to blow off Granger and then swagger back to them, complaining about how clingy Gryffindors were. Astoria would giggle and clutch at his arm, acting rather clingy herself, and Blaise would storm off and eat at the Gryffindor table, his arm draped protectively around Ginny. They would reconcile before dinnertime but Blaise would still eat at the Gryffindor table for a week.

"Can we go somewhere more... private?" Draco asked. Hermione looked surprised but nodded and walked out of the Hall. Draco followed and didn't stick around long enough to hear his friends' shocked outbursts or see Blaise's proud grin.

They found themselves in a courtyard with scarred stone columns. Draco knew this place well- Hermione had offered him a hot cocoa when he was sitting all alone to annoy the pompous Ernie MacMillan. It was also where their friendship had begun and where Draco had realized that the buck-toothed know-it-all Granger wasn't as buck-toothed as he remembered.

"I thought blood prejudices were over and done," Hermione said coolly, facing Draco with her arms crossed. Merlin, she was so close. Draco could see the slight curve of her cheekbones which still hadn't filled out since he saw her at the Manor, gaunt-faced and with a Slytherin-worthy facade of nonchalance.

"Old ways die hard," Draco said monotonously. "The old families have believed in blood purity; just because the Dark Lord's gone doesn't mean our ways will die out immediately."

"You've told me that a million times."

"Because it's true."

"I think I love you."

"I know."

"You know?" Hermione's eyes flashed and became dangerously glassy.

"And I wish things were different-"

"Spare me your sorrow, Malfoy. You still think I'm a filthy little _Mudblood_ don't you?" Draco kept his face impassive. Hermione huffed in exasperation. "I don't know why I'm even bothering to talk to you. You were a racist bigot back then and you still are- you're aunt tortured me because I was born to two Muggles. It wasn't even my choice! _I_ didn't ask to be a Muggle. _I_didn't ask to be a witch. _I_ didn't ask to have to Confund my own parents or to be chased by a bunch of Death Eaters endlessly or to be stabbed by that monster you call an aunt while my childhood enemy watches and probably can't wait to have a go himself then brag about-"

"No, Hermione, don't even _think_ that!" Draco cried. "I've never wanted to hurt you like that! Even when we were younger and I thought you were an annoying know-it-all I never wanted to_torture_ you!"

"Really? Oh that's funny!" Hermione seethed. "Because this hurts a lot more than some stupid curse!"

Silence.

Draco finally _looked_ at Hermione Granger properly for the first time since he broke off their relationship two months ago.

Her hair was no longer bushy but instead, hung in limp curls and her skin was pale, no longer glowing. Her tired eyes seemed to be buried deep into the hollows of her skull and they no longer contained that gleam of curiosity that had even been present when she was thrown onto the Manor's doorstep. Her shoulders were bent in a dejected hunch and her head was no longer confidently high but low enough that her fringe hid her eyes.

_You screwed her up big time, mate._ Blaise's words echoed in Draco's head.

"Observing your work?" Hermione said with a false smile.

"I didn't know-"

"You said you broke it off with me because of my blood. Did you know that I sent a letter to Harry the night before, assuring him that you were no longer a prejudiced git? Then a day after, you're sucking face with perfect little pureblooded Greengrass! It was like sixth year all over again except ten times worse. Blaise told me you'd find sense and I've waited. I've ignored Ernie and Viktor to wait for you but it's two months after and you're still ignoring me and calling me a clingy Mudblood- oh yes! Blaise told me about that too!"

Hermione took a deep breath then looked right at Draco. Her eyes were full of hurt but there was also hope and she looked so vulnerable and broken. It unnerved the young Malfoy.

"Why did you wait?" Draco said slowly. A single tear escaped then Hermione's face became blank and closed-off.

"So I take it that's a no? Because I'm a Mudblood right?"

"Hermione, it's for the best."

"Really? Because I don't feel amazing and you don't look especially happy with that airhead."

"I really care about you-"

"-You have a funny way of showing it-"

"And I think you would be much happier with someone else."

Hermione looked at Draco for a long time.

"We're graduating next week," the Gryffindor said softly. "I'm going to go back to the Muggle world for a while so you probably won't see me for a while, or maybe ever."

Draco nodded. Hermione laughed wryly.

"Here. Take this. I don't need it." The girl took the wrinkled Wanted poster out of her bag and handed it to the impassive boy. "Goodbye, Draco."

The boy swallowed. "Goodbye, Hermione."

Then the girl and the boy parted ways.

* * *

Don't worry a happy ending is coming up!


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